


Study Date?

by minni_k



Series: The Little Love Cafe [3]
Category: EXO (Band), K-pop
Genre: Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops & Cafés, Alternate Universe - College/University, Flirting, M/M, Study Date
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-04
Updated: 2019-10-04
Packaged: 2020-11-23 05:08:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,977
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20886611
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/minni_k/pseuds/minni_k
Summary: "That guy!" Yixing said with a gasp. "I always thought that guy was into Jongin... I never figure he liked you.""Likes me?" Luhan asked with a small laugh. "What makes you think he likes me?""I don't know, he seems pretty stand-offish. Like he doesn't really get close to anyone he doesn't want to get close too... aka Jongin and now you." Yixing explained. Luhan let out another small laugh. "I mean come-on. You guys barely talk to each other and he suddenly asks you to help him study? I think it seems like a date."





	Study Date?

"I can't go tonight," the boy said through the phone, listening as a mix of Korean and Mandarin was being yelled at him on the phone. "I know I promise Li... wait... Li? XiaoLi!" he raised his voice in the phone, looking down only to see that the call had ended and no one could hear him but the strangers around. He let out a sigh as he looked at the caller id with a sigh.

"Do something wrong again?" a familiar voice asked. The man's amber eyes looked up and spotted his friend with his deep dimples and outrageous smile. He let out a small sigh before taking the coffee from his hands. "I know the feeling. It took me forever before knowing what was right and wrong with Jia and Zhen. It's hard but it gets better."

"Can it just be better already?" the boy asked. "I'm tired of feeling like I'm taking care of her wrong."

"What happened?" Yixing asked. "It can't be that bad, Luhan."

"I told her I'd help her study but I forgot that I agreed to help Sehun study tonight."

"Sehun?"

"Yeah. He's the 2nd year in my class. He needs some help to pass the class so I'm helping." Luhan explained. Yixing sat there and thought but ultimately came up with nothing. Luhan let out a sigh. "Jongin's blonde friend."

"That guy!" Yixing said with a gasp. "I always thought that guy was into Jongin... I never figure he liked you."

"Likes me?" Luhan asked with a small laugh. "What makes you think he likes me?"

"I don't know, he seems pretty stand-offish. Like he doesn't really get close to anyone he doesn't want to get close too... aka Jongin and now you." Yixing explained. Luhan let out another small laugh. "I mean come-on. You guys barely talk to each other and he suddenly asks you to help him study? I think it seems like a date."

"Says the man who can't get a hint with his own guy," a voice said, making both of the men turn slightly to see Jia, wiping down a nearby table, listening in on their conversation. The girl stood up straight before looking at the two older men in front of her. "Face it. You're both in denial."

"First of all," Luhan said. "I'm not in denial. Secondly, who are you in denial about?" Yixing let out a sigh before glaring at the girl.

"I wanted to wait until all of us could meet, but Jumyeon came in the other day," Yixing said.

"Oh my gosh. Baekhyun is gonna go ballistic," Luhan responded right away, making Yixing laugh a little as who took a seat. "What happened? Did you guys talk? Did he even see you?"

"Yes, he did. And we talked a little bit. Caught up."

"And they almost kissed," Jia said in a taunting tone from her table. Yixing looked at the girl before telling her to go to the back and find something else to do. Luhan simply looked at the other as the man watch the girl run to the back, beginning to yell in mandrin as she walked back there.

"You and Junmyeon almost kissed?" Luhan asked, bring the man's attention back.

"No," Yixing said. "Kinda? I just turned around and he was really close to my face."

"Wait. But that doesn't make sense." Luhan said. "I thought he and his girlfriend got married?"

"They broke up because..." Yixing waited, his mind going back to the other night, his heart beginning to beat fast again. Luhan watched as his friend reminisced, noticing the small pink tint on his cheeks and the goofy smile on his face. He knew whatever it was he was thinking of was something that gave him hope again. He hadn't seen his friend like this in such a long time.

"Becuase what?" Luhan repeated. Yixing almost answered when he heard the small bell ring realizing there were customers. He got up from the table quickly and Luhan followed the man's moves with his eyes.

"That part will have to wait," Yixing said, his goofy smile still prominent. "I have costumers. See you later Lu." Luhan let out a small pout as he watched the man walk away, rolling his eyes before they landed to the man at the door. He had short blonde hair and a poker face that was too familiar for the other to not recognize. He carried a big backpack on his back, similar to the one on the ground beside Luhan, as he looked around the store with curiosity. Like every newcomer, his eyes followed the vines that traced the walls until he saw Luhan, who gave him a smile and a wave. He gave a small smile back before walking over.

"Hi," he said, his voice somewhat quiet, bowing a little.

"Hey," Luhan said with a big smile, bowing back. The two sat down and got to work immediately. Time passed as they both typed away on their computers, stopping once in a while for coffee and snacks or to go over vocabulary and notes, making sure they were both on the right page. Luhan looked down at the clock on his computer, realizing it had been an hour and he still had a question that was burning in his mind. "Sehun?" he called to grab the man's attention. "Could I ask something, not homework related?"

"Yeah, sure," Sehun said, closing his computer. Luhan did the same before taking off his glasses, looking into the man's eyes. He took a deep breath before a hand was slammed on the table, making both men look up to see a small girl with anger in her eyes looking down at Luhan.

"Li?" Luhan asked, recognizing the girl he had been on the phone with much earlier.

"So you can't help me with my homework because you were here on a date with some guy?" XiaoLi yelled in Mandarin, making a couple of customers around looked back at the table.

"XiaoLi, how did you get here? Did you walk all the way from your school?" Luhan responded, standing up from his seat.

"Oh so now you suddenly care about me?" He yelled again in Mandarin, making a couple of the staff come out from the back to see the commotion. Luhan looked around before apologizing to everyone around, giving small bows.

"XiaoLi... Please don't make a scene right now." Luhan said in a calm voice. "Look, I'm sorry I had to cancel tonight, but I forgot I promised my friend that I would help him study."

"So you just ignore me for him?" the girl said, pointing to the man. Luhan's eyes looked towards the man before he forced the girl's hand down. He pulled the girl behind him before bowing to Sehun.

"I'm sorry this happened," Luhan said, feeling embarrassed at the current situation. " I'm really sorry."

"Who is that?" Sehun asked, looking at the girl who was rolling her eyes behind the other.

"She's... um..."

"I'm his daughter," she said loudly in Korean, making Luhan hit her in the arm as Sehun looked up at the man wide-eyed.

"Daughter?"

"No," Luhan said. "My friends and I are taking care of some kids whose families are in a tight situation right now. She's having a hard time... adjusting I guess." Sehun looked at her as he processed the information, nodding a little. "I'm so sorry, but I have to go back home with her and help her."

"Maybe I could help," Sehun offered, looking into Luhan's eyes. Luhan looked a little stunned by his proposal before dragging a chair for XiaoLi to sit in, figuring that he'd try it. After what seemed like forever, XiaoLi began working with the two, letting them help explain Algebraic problems she couldn't understand or simply getting her to sit and do her work. In a matter of minutes, they were back to their working pace, the three together. Luhan at times would look from his computer to watch Sehun explain math to the girl, seeing a small resemblance between the two as he looked. A small smile spread across his face as he thought of a scene like this in the future.

~*~

"Thank you so much for helping out with Li," Luhan said from outside the shop. Sehun let out a small laugh, looking down at his shoes before looking up to Luhan again.

"No thanks needed. She's a good kid," Sehun commented, looking into the window at the girl. Luhan's eyes followed, watching as the little blonde laughed with Jia and Zhen, 2 of the friends she knows best.

"She really is," Luhan said.

"What did you say was happening again?" Sehun asked. "If you don't mind telling me." Luhan looked at the man while trying to explain these in the easiest way.

"Well, all the kids in there are apart of this program. Their parents signed them up and sent them here to have a good life because something is happening and they don't want them to be around that. They all have different reasons but they're here. I work with the program so I take care of her until she basically doesn't need me anymore. My friend Yixing takes care of the other two and my other friend Minseok takes care of a little girl." Luhan explained.

"That sounds like a lot to do alone."

"It is at times," Luhan said. "But I was in that situation once and I'm grateful for it. I want to give her that same experience and opportunity. I'm just not sure I'm doing it right."

"I don't know what you've done before now," Sehun said, making the man turn to look at him. "But from what I saw today, I think you're doing a good job. She's intelligent, and she can be polite when she wants to be." Luhan let out a small laugh. "I think she's just having a hard time adjusting as you said... but at least she's not doing it alone." Luhan looked at the man before nodding. "And... you know if you ever need help... you can always call me."

"I can?" Luhan asked with a smile. "I was sure after today, I'd be on your stay away list."

"No way," Sehun said with a smile. The two looked at each other for a little while before Sehun let out a cough, saying that he'd be leaving. The two said their goodbyes and Luhan watched as the man walked down the sidewalk, his backpack hanging off one shoulder and his free arm at his side, the hand stuffed in his pocket. Luhan seemed to be in a daze when he heard a small bell ring, XiaoLi running out of the store.

"He left already?" She asked. Luhan looked at the girl before giving a small nod. "Damn it! I wanted to say bye."

"Hey!" Luhan said sternly. "Don't curse." The girl rolled her eyes as at the man as he went back to looking at his silhouette. "We need to get home anyway too." With that, the two began walking the opposite way, heading to Luhan's car.

"I thought you'd be happier," XiaoLi said.

"What are you talking about?"

"How I approve of your new boyfriend," the girl said as if it were obvious. "I mean I stayed the entire time and I only insulted him once. That's a lot better than the other people I meet." Luhan let out another small laugh.

"Even though I wouldn't need your approval anyways," Luhan started. " He wasn't my date and he's not my new boyfriend. We're just classmates."

"For now," The girl said, walking a little faster towards the car. Luhan simply let out a smile, shaking his head, though a little part of him is happy the girl enjoys the man's company too.


End file.
